Other Criminal Charges & Offenses Avoiding Wildlife Checkstation. No Info at Court

[atomSBGA]

My friend was charged with "Avoiding Wildlife Checkstation/Inspection" in WA State when he was fishing and had a WDFW officer approach him from behind. My friend was fishing in barbless hook only water and apparently when they heard the game warden behind them, they cut their line without the game warden seeing. He told the officer he broke off before reeling in but the officer doesn't believe him, put his arms around his back and checks his pockets. He confiscates my friends $500 fishing setup. Out of fear that they would take his fishing gear, he admitted to using a barbed hook but didn't admit to cutting his line. The officer gives him the fishing gear back and writes him the ticket, but when he goes to the mandatory court date which is 7 days later, they till him at the district court office that the officer hasn't submitted any info about the ticket and there is nothing to go to court for. The next day, my friend gets a letter from the district court saying he has a later court date 13 days later. The letter is dated the day he was supposed to appear, and is signed by the judge. The letter even has a copy of the ticket, with a stamp saying it was filed the day after the incident. Shouldn't the court date have to be what it says on the ticket? Is there anything he can do? Thanks for any info.

 

[army judge]

He can do two things:
1) He can retain a lawyer, and direct the lawyer to intervene for him and determine what the correct date is (or should be);
2) He can do as instructed on the letter.

If he does NOTHING, he'll only find he's got more trouble for himself.